Bee careful how you talk about social activity

By on March 14th, 2008 In Hype!, Social Media

Great thought provoker for everyone who’s promoting, hyping or debating social media and online buzz.
Josh Bernoff of Forrester reminds us that we are going after the wrong image, possibly because of our hangup with the hive-web metaphor.

“People are not insects. So why is it so popular, in analyzing the surge of social activity online, to compare them to bees?”

What do you think? Are you tired of spiders and bees? Is there a more cogent image  that comes to mind? Tell us!

Comments

Tara Kelly Says:
March 14th, 2008 at 10:38 am

The Human Brain

Each one of us acts much like a single neuron in the brain. We receive an impulse, and choose to pass it along to certain other folks, and certain others not. (think: twitter vs. email. vs. lunch with a friend)

The mystery of the brain is understanding what factors cause a neuron to choose what impulses to ignore, and which to charge off in some neuron.

The mystery of “buzz” is understand what makes people choose which impulses to pass on or not, and to whom.

Trends made of buzzing people, are much like thoughts made of zapping neurons.

Of course — the brain has been compared to
an ant hill… so I guess we’re back at square one.

Cheers!
Tara

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